


Next to me

by TheWriterA



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-14 03:55:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14127540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWriterA/pseuds/TheWriterA
Summary: This really needs to stop, Arthur’s breath hitching whenever Merlin touched him, but then he supposes it only grew the swelling love in Arthur’s heart. He may have been the biggest clot pole but he knew, knew for sure that, that is what it was.





	Next to me

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first time ever writing a fic. Pretty daunting experience but i’ve been reading for as long as I can remember and there is a very special place for Merlin in my heart. I ship these adorable dorks an inordinate amount. They have always been really important to me and i have grown up with them. I really hope I can make someone out there smile with my fics, because I know I’ve been able to turn to these fics about these two whenever I needed to and it brought me contentment.  
> So i guess this would be classed as a songfic, it was inspired by the song next to me by imagine dragons, I just think it perfectly described their love.

_Something about the way that you walked into my living room_  
_Casually and confident lookin' at the mess I am_  
_But still you, still you want me_

  
It never failed to amaze Arthur just how exceptional Merlin truly was, putting up with him. In all his love and compassion for some reason, he chose Arthur to stay with. Through all the inexplicable rubbish Arthur put him through he still stayed next to Arthur, standing strong, beaming at him even when all he does is respond with scowls.

  
_Stress lines and cigarettes, politics, and deficits_  
_Late bills and overages, screamin' and hollerin'_  
_But still you, still you want me_

  
Arthur screams and shouts insults, and barely acknowledges everything Merlin does.  They say ignorance is bliss and by no way was Arthur ignorant of everything Merlin did, but rather being emotionally constipated he found it rather difficult to respond accordingly. Arthur finds any reason to blame the only person who he truly cares about. Still, Merlin stayed. Stays even when Arthur shouts at the top of his lungs for Merlin to leave Merlin doesn’t listen but Arthur supposes he has never been good at following orders.

  
_Oh, I always let you down_  
_You're shattered on the ground_  
_But_ still, _I find you there_  
_Next to me_

  
Arthur has fought more than a thousand fights, fought battles with warriors who could kill simply from their stance. He won against them conquered all of those yet he struggles with something seemingly less strenuous. When Arthur can’t deal with all his feelings he takes it out on Merlin. Arthur blames him for all the terrors in the world. Arthur says so many things he doesn’t mean because Arthur is the perfect definition of emotionally constipated, and all the things he feels, he simply can’t get the words to tumble out of his lips, so he says the exact opposite.

  
_And oh, stupid things I do_  
_I'm far from good, it's true_  
_But_ still _I find you_  
_Next to me_

  
Oh, he is so incredibly stupid, so stupid, blaming Merlin. His sudden outburst, dear god what had Arthur done, he hasn’t kissed anyone ever and yet he suggested he should marry that princess whose name has escaped Arthurs mind. Of course, he didn’t mean it and there was no way he wanted to but it seemed like the only thing to please his father, but even then he knew it seemed nothing was ever enough to please him. So, of course, he projects those feelings on to Merlin. As soon as he says those words he knows there is nothing that could have been worst to say. Yet the one possibly good thing that came out of it was hearing Merlin’s sudden intake in breath and horror-stricken eyes and it made the burning light in his heart intensify and he just thought maybe it had been slightly worth it just to see Merlin show he cared.

There's something about the way that you always see the pretty view  
_Overlook the blooded mess, always lookin' effortless_  
_And still you, still you want me_

  
Of course, out of the two of them, Merlin was the one to show he cared. Those careful touches and lingering looks. Those meaningful glances and hugs that lasted too long to be proper, but they were always too short for Arthur.

 _I got no innocence, faith ain't no privilege_  
_I am a deck of cards, vice or a game of hearts_  
_And still you, still you want me_

  
This really needs to stop, Arthur’s breath hitching whenever Merlin touched his bruised and battered body. Merlin whispering words of comfort that Arthur tries to pass as meaningless and show his indifference towards it, but the words touch his soul and leave their mark only growing the swelling love in Arthur’s heart. He may have been the biggest clot pole but he knew, knew for sure that, that is what it was.

  
_Oh, I always let you down_  
_You're shattered on the ground_  
_But_ still _I find you there_  
_Next to me_

  
Arthur couldn’t see anything, but the anger that hooded his eyes at the prospect of merlin coming to any harm. God that bandit was so incredibly close to ki- hurting his Merlin. Dear god, his Merlin. Thrusting his sword in front seemed to be as easy as breathing. Leaving his other side open to the other blade escaped his knowledge as his only thought was protecting Merlin. The pain climbed through his body at a tortuous pace. But his Merlin was safe. He could die happy if that had to be the end.

 _And oh, stupid things I do_  
_I'm far from good, it's true_  
_But_ still i _find you  Next to me_

He was so incredibly wrong. How could he have thought he would have been able to die happy when Merlin still didn’t know how much he meant to Arthur, how much Arthur cared for Merlin how no one was as important to Arthur as Merlin was. God even Morgana knew and she simply grinned her grin every time Arthur flushed in close proximity to Merlin or every time he tried to compliment Merlin and instead insulted his abnormally sized ears. He couldn’t even focus on her grin when he saw the hurt flash in Merlin’s eyes before Merlin concealed it with his own insults and remarks  
So Morgana told him in plain English to get his head out of his own ass and Morgana may have been an absolute evil harpy most of the time but she always knew what the right thing to do was. She knew Arthur, as well as anyone, could, the only person who knew Arthur more was Merlin but Arthur couldn’t really confide in Merlin for this.  
Everyone even blind men could see how hopelessly love the two of them were and yet they danced around on their tiptoes, swaying gently to the music, just too far away to be anything more than friends.

  
_So thank you for taking a chance on me_  
_I know it isn't easy_  
_But I hope to be worth it_  
_So thank you for taking a chance on me_  
_I know it isn't easy_  
_But I hope to be worth it_

  
He was king, he was king and Merlin was still there. The bumbling idiot was still next to Arthur, always. Now with his official role as court sorcerer, even though Arthur had never managed to say his true feelings; Merlin had confided in him. Merlin had told him his deepest secret (perhaps not deepest) and his love for Merlin was everything that mattered so he just gave a meaningful look to Merlin and held him close. Told him that the great warlock wasn’t that great at keeping secrets seeing as he had known for the past 5 years and was biding his time waiting for Merlin to finally tell him.

  
Merlin’s look of surprise was Arthurs most treasured memories. The look of contentment that followed after seeing Arthurs accepting eyes warmed Arthur to the core.  
Morgana still his trusted advisor in all things relating to feelings. Her relationship with Leon was a heart-warming one to behold and she supported Arthur through his constant struggle to say the right thing. But she did not let a day go by without her making a comment about how pathetic Arthur really was. (Pathetic in the most adorable way but she would never tell her little brother that.)  
The court meeting had adjourned for that day and Merlin and Arthur had decided to ride out just because they wanted to like they often did. It’s what one does when courting someone but neither of them gave it a label.

 _Oh, I always let you down (I always let you down)_  
_You're shattered on the ground (shattered on the ground)_  
_But still, I find you there_  
_Next to me_  
_And oh, stupid things I do (stupid things I do)_  
_I'm far from good, it's true_  
_But_ still _I find you_  
_Next to me (next to me)_

On that rather fateful day, Arthur sat watching Merlin talk animatedly about the young village children who had just learned the newest piece of magic. Arthur watched as his eyes lit up with joy and his eyes crinkled with mirth. In that one moment, he found all the contentment he could ever have.  
It sort of just tumbled out and Arthur supposed that the best things in life must.

  
“I love you Merlin.”

  
Arthur quickly inahled and saw Merlin’s eyes widen for a fragment of a second, before Merlin’s eyes crinkled once more, but with a light chuckle bouncing off his lip.

  
Arthur simply stared back horror-stricken at what he just said and how Merlin had responded.

  
“ I know... I know prat” and he continued to chuckle and went on to say “Now would you let me finish my story?”

  
Arthur seemed to be at a loss for words again, before finally finding his voice and whispering “Merlin?”

  
“Honestly Arthur 7 years and you still don’t let me finish do you? But I guess that what I get, for falling in love with a clot pole isn’t it?”

  
“What?”

  
“ I love you, Arthur. I always have and I always will be unconditionally in love with you. But can you let me finish my story I still haven’t got to the best part!”

  
And that was all either of them needed.

  
Contentment seeped through them and finally, all the unspoken things were out in the air and if every day when they wake up next to each other the fall more in love with each other than who was to stop them?  
Merlin would always be next to Arthur. Two sides of the same coin.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! First timmer here!  
> Please comment and kudos.
> 
> Love TheWriterA


End file.
